A Mother's Love
by Mandy of the Amoeba
Summary: Just a few little scenes from the Weasley household, centered around Molly Weasley's love and sacrifices for her children.
1. Sacrificing Red for Gold

A/N:  Sort of to give a little background on this fic.....I've always pictured Mrs. Weasley with longer hair than she does in the Harry Potter movie.  One day, I started thinking up reasons of why she might have cut her hair....and that led to this fic.    
  
Oh, and a little note on the timeline of things....this takes place during a trip to Diagon Alley the year that Fred and George start Hogwarts, so that would make the twins eleven.  And yes, Bill is still in school in this fic, about to enter his seventh year.  If you read, please leave a review!  My poor little literary heart feeds off them.    
  
Disclaimer:  I own nothing, except a random shop in Knockturn Alley and the woman who owns it.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"Arthur, we can't even afford to get them secondhand robes."  Molly had said in quiet, despairing tones to her husband earlier that day.  The twins had been too busy ogling over Gambol and Jape's window display to pay attention to her words, but she had kept her voice low just in case.  "We just can't afford it, not since we had to pay the hospital bills for Charlie's arm .  The other boys can't do without their textbooks, but we can't very well send Fred and George off to Hogwarts without any clothes...."  
  
"We could sell something....." Arthur had said halfheartedly, and had run a hand through his thin, balding hair, worry evident in his normally childlike eyes.  "I'm sorry, Molly....it's all my fault, I can't --"   
  
"It's not your fault, Arthur." his wife had interrupted sharply, then softened.  "It's....it's just the way things are."  They had both grown silent then, watching all seven of their children as they walked several paces ahead, little Ginny sitting on Bill's tall shoulders.  Molly had glanced over at her husband as he once again ran his hands through his red hair, and for some reason she had brought a hand up to her own red locks......  
  
And the next thing she knew, she had excused herself from Arthur and the children, telling them that she had a few errands to run and that they should go ahead and get their books.  Now, she stood nervously in front of a dingy, nameless shop, too close for comfort to Knockturn Alley, that a crusty old witch had directed her to.  Taking a deep breath, she stepped inside, her worn, fraying handbag clutched tightly in both hands.  
  
"May I help you?"  The voice was low, but decidedly female, and Molly nearly jumped.  A tall, dark haired witch stood before her, eyeing her doubtfully.    
  
"Yes.....I....."  Molly trailed off, unsure of what to say.  Breathing a small sigh, she pointed her wand at the back of her own head and uttered the spell to loosen the thick red bun gathered there.  Her hair tumbled down her back, reaching past her waist, and she automatically tilted her chin a bit higher with pride.  The thick, luxurious red mantle of hair had always been her crowning glory, even as a girl; it was her most prized possession.  True, it was beginning to turn a little gray at the roots, but most of it was still red as the setting sun. "I was told that you buy hair."   
  
"Yes.  I do.  Usually the hair of wizarding folk is stronger than that of Muggles.....they love to get their hands on it, though they never know exactly where it comes from." The woman smirked slightly and stepped behind Molly, sizing up her hair, weighing it with her hands.  After a moment, she said, "I must admit, you do have beautiful hair.  I'll give you eleven galleons for it."  
  
"Fifteen." Molly said, her voice firm, but inside she was shaking.    
  
"Twelve." The hair hawker answered, looking slightly annoyed.  
  
"Fourteen." Her small hands clutched the worn handbag tighter, and Molly nearly held her breath; she was terrified of losing the deal completely, but determined to squeeze everything she could out of it.  
  
The woman's eyes narrowed slightly.  "Thirteen galleons and seven sickles." she said tersely.  "And I won't give you a knut more than that."  
  
Molly agreed; she had actually been surprised at the offer of eleven galleons.  She never dreamed her hair could be worth even that much.  The woman led her to a room in the back of the shop and sat her down in front of a mirror with a cracked corner.  Pulling out a wand, she began expertly cutting Molly's hair just below her ears.  Instinctively, Molly shut her eyes when the first strands were snipped away, unable to bear the image in the mirror.  
  
But a voice inside her said, _"Be brave.  You're doing this for your boys."_  So she opened her eyes and watched the entire process.  Time ticked away minute after agonizing minute; the woman was very careful in her work, making sure not a single strand was damaged.  Molly began to grow a little impatient; she wished it to be over, now that there was no turning back.  She felt almost disconnected from her own body as the last locks finally disappeared; she had never realized how heavy her hair was until it was gone.  Standing up slowly, she hesitantly brought a hand up to her head, making sure that the short-haired woman she saw in the mirror really was her and not some stranger.  Satisfied, she numbly counted the money that the woman gave her and headed back out on the street to catch up with her family.  
  
She spotted them outside Flourish and Blotts', their backs turned to her as they walked away from the bookstore.  "Arthur!  Children!" she called out, and all eight red heads turned in her direction.  
  
"Molly!  Where have you...."  Her husband trailed off, his jaw falling slack as he stared at her chopped red tresses.  He finished his sentence weakly. "....Been."  
  
There was a moment of shocked silence.  "Mum, what'd you do to your hair?" Ginny finally asked, dumbfounded.  Molly smiled at her only daughter fondly.  
  
"Oh, I just decided it was time for a change." she replied lightly, slipping over to Arthur's side.  "Fred, George, time to go get your school robes....and Bill, I think you're due for some new robes, as well."  She smiled at her oldest boy's surprised face.  "It's not every year we have a Head Boy in the family.  After that, you can all have an ice cream sundae."  she added, seeing the hopeful faces of her other four children.  There was a general cheer; even the normally solemn Percy grinned at the unexpected treat.  
  
"Molly...." Arthur said quietly as they headed towards the robe shop, bewilderment in his voice.  "I thought....how can we....."  
  
Wordlessly, Molly pulled out her small leather money pouch and pressed it into her husband's hand.  He stared at the heavy sack for a moment, puzzled, then looked up at her, his mouth open to ask a question.  It shut when he once again caught sight of her hair, realization dawning on his features.  "Molly....you...." he started softly, but she shook her head slightly, silencing him.  
  
"I'll tell you about it later."    
  
Slipping the money back into his wife's handbag, Arthur reached down and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.  Together they walked, hand in hand, worries free from their mind for at least a little while.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
That night, Molly sat in front of the dresser mirror in their bedroom, studying her shorn hair.  Her hands gently traced over the smooth, polished wood of a brush and comb set Arthur had given her for Christmas not long after they had gotten married, and she had to bite back tears as she brought one hand up to touch the short red tresses.  
  
Arthur came up behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders.  He watched her in the mirror for a moment, then gave her a gentle squeeze.  "It'll grow back." he said softly.  She smiled at his mirror image and reached up to place a hand over his.  They stayed like that a moment, then she stood up with a sigh, moving away from the dresser and towards the door to make sure all the children were in bed.    
  
But Arthur caught her around the waist, pulling her towards him and bringing a hand up to trace a finger along her jawline.  "Molly Weasley, you're the most wonderful woman in the world." he said, his voice tender, and she blushed.  
  
"Arthur - " she began, but he silenced her with a hand on her lips.  
  
"You're also the most beautiful woman in the world." he continued, gazing down at her lovingly.  "Even if you had no hair at all, you'd still be the most beautiful.  Every day I thank God that I'm lucky enough to have you as my wife."  
  
Her eyes moist with happiness, Molly put her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly to her even as his own arms wrapped closer around her waist.  She pulled away just enough to give him room to lean down and kiss her softly.  Pulling his wand out of the pocket of his robes, Arthur flicked it towards the lamp, and the light winked out  
  



	2. I'll be home for Christmas

A/N: Well, I really wasn't planning on writing a sequel to this, but several people have requested a second chapter....I don't like this part nearly as much as I did the first, but the idea sort of began nagging at me, so I thought I might as well write it. It ends kind of abruptly, but I don't plan on changing the ending. And I think I'm working on a third chapter for this little Weasley series. Enjoy, and please review!  
  
Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing.  
  
  
Christmas was always a joyful event at the Weasley household, even when times were a little hard. Molly cooked busily in the kitchen while Arthur was at King's Crossing to pick up the children; it had seemed so quiet the past few months without the twins! Ron and Ginny were talkative enough, but it was almost unnatural not hearing explosions periodically from Fred and George's room. Absently, she stirred the soup, wondering how much trouble her boys had gotten into so far. She had only gotten one owl from McGonagall, but she knew the identical redheads had probably accomplished several mischievous deeds without getting caught.  
  
Glancing into the living room, Molly noted that six of the nine hands on the grandfather clock pointed to 'Traveling.' "Ron! Ginny!" she called up the stairs. "Better wash up, your father and brothers will be home soon and it'll be time to eat." Footsteps sounded upstairs in reply, and she smiled, turning back to the food in the kitchen. It would be so nice to have everyone home again all at once.....a short pang stabbed through her heart as she realized once again that Bill would be graduating this year. She shook her head slightly, causing her short red hair to swish against her cheeks. It was silly to get all worked up over that....after all, he would still be home for Christmas every year. Bill was ambitious and was already trying to find a job to jump into as soon as he was done with Hogwarts, but Molly was sure he wouldn't want to go very far from home. It only took an instant to apparate all over the globe, but she would much rather have them all where she could keep an eye on them.  
  
Then the next year, Charlie would be going, and then -- the front door opened, interrupting her thoughts. "We're home!" Arthur called through the living room, and seconds later the kitchen was full of redheads. Bill and Charlie both grinned and went over to give their mother a hug; Bill had to lean down quite a bit to do so. Percy smiled and gave her a kiss on the cheek; he had never been a very affectionate child, at least not openly. The twins looked almost unsure of what to do at first, as though they thought being first years meant they were too old to be Mum's little boys anymore. After watching their older brothers, they both grinned slightly and hugged Molly, although they pulled away quickly.  
  
Already, the boys were seating themselves at the cramped kitchen table. Ginny and Ron came barreling down the stairs, and Ginny threw herself straight into Bill. He grinned, picking her up in a hug even though she was getting almost too old to be lifted. "How's my favorite little sister?" he asked, laughing, and she tweaked his nose.  
  
"I'm your only little sister, silly." she answered, and he set her down again, ruffling her hair. Feigning annoyance, she took her place at the table. Molly realized for the first time that only two of the seven children at the table had washed up, and she put her hands on her hips.  
  
"Boys, go wash your hands!" she ordered. "Er, not you, dear." she said to Ron, after her youngest son gave an indignant, "I did!" Grumbling only slightly, the other boys got up and started upstairs while a smug looking Ron and Ginny sat at the table. "You two can help set the table." she said, turning on them.   
  
"Can't Ginny do it?" Ron whined slightly. Ginny looked put-out.   
  
"I set the table LAST night." she countered, sticking her tongue out when she was sure Molly and Arthur weren't paying attention.  
  
"Did not."  
  
"Did TOO"!  
  
"Children!" Molly barked, and they both looked up guiltily. "You can both do it. Hurry up before your brothers are done." she added, and they obliged, carrying on their argument under their breaths.   
  
Arthur grinned, and leaned down to kiss her cheek. "What's for supper?" he asked, reaching to snitch a roll from the basket. His wife slapped his hand away lightly.  
  
"You'll find out as soon as it's on the table!" she scolded, but she grinned lightly at him nevertheless. Suddenly, the grin left her face, replaced by a frown. "And you haven't washed up, either!" she exclaimed, realizing her error. "Upstairs, right now!"  
  
"Yes, dear." he replied obediently, starting up the stairs just as five of his children tried to come down the same way. There was a momentary traffic jam which somehow sorted out with Arthur still downstairs and Charlie on his way back up. The two stopped, laughed at their own foolishness, then righted themselves.  
  
"And hurry up, Arthur, before the potatoes get cold!" Molly called after him as Ginny and Ron finished setting the table. She bustled about the kitchen like a mother hen clucking over her brood, refusing to sit until all the food was on the table and everyone had something on their plates.   
  
The conversation was almost nonstop while everyone told stories of their latest adventures, both at school and at home. After a very brief lull in the chatter, Bill grinned slightly and cleared his throat. "Er, I heard from Gringotts last week." he said.   
  
Eight faces looked up expectantly. "Did you get the apprenticeship?" Arthur asked, hand poised in midair as he paused in reaching for another helping of peas.   
  
Bill hesitated, then said slowly, "Yes...."  
  
Before he could finish whatever he was going to say, congratulations started pouring in with comments of 'knew you'd get it, Bill' and 'get to start as soon as you're done with Hogwarts?' The oldest Weasley boy looked as though he might add something else, but seemed to think better of it. Only his mother seemed to notice his hesitation, and she made a mental note to ask him about it later.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
After the children had gone to bed, Molly and Arthur sat at the kitchen table, talking over a cup of tea. "It's so good to have everyone home, isn't it, dear?" Molly said, breathing a contented sigh. Her husband nodded in agreement, stirring another lump of sugar into his tea.  
  
"Yes, it is." he replied, then added, "And I'm so proud of Bill. He's grown up into a fine young man...." He trailed off, noticing Molly's expression cloud over slightly, and he patted her hand. "Be happy for him, dear."  
  
Before there was any time to reply, their eldest son appeared in the doorway. "Bill, dear, what are you doing up? It's..." She glanced at the clock, then shrugged and finished with, "It's not as late as I thought it was, actually. Care for some tea?"  
  
"No thanks, Mum." Bill replied, pulling a chair out from the table and sitting down. "I just came down to talk."  
  
"What's on your mind, son?" Arthur asked, absently adding yet another lump of sugar into his tea. He stirred a moment, then took a sip. His face twisted slightly at the sickeningly sweet liquid, and he set the cup down, pushing it to the side. Bill took a deep breath.  
  
"Well, as I already said, I got the apprenticeship with Gringotts. I'm going to start working in London as soon as school is over, then in mid-August, if everything goes well, I'm going to be taking a job as a curse-breaker." He paused, then added, "In Egypt."  
  
The kitchen grew completely silent except for the ticking of the clock and a sharp intake of breath from Molly. "Egypt?" she said faintly after a moment. "You're going to Egypt?"  
  
Bill nodded in reply. Arthur looked slightly uncertain about what to say for a moment, but finally smiled and said, "Well, son, it's a good job." he said encouragingly, but nevertheless ran his hand through his hair absently, a sure sign that he was distressed. "And as long as you enjoy it, then you should do it."   
  
"Thanks, Dad." The redheaded seventeen year old replied, grinning slightly. "Mum.....you understand, don't you?" Molly only nodded silently, managing a slight smile as he bent down and kissed her cheek. "Well, I'm going off to bed." Bill said, then stopped. "Er, I don't think I'll tell the others until after holiday....not sure I'm ready to really tell the whole world yet. Night."  
  
The two parents sat quietly for several minutes after their son had gone back upstairs to bed. Finally, Arthur stood up, setting his overly sweetened, cold tea in the sink. "I think I'll turn in as well." he said. "Coming up to bed soon?"   
  
"Yes, I just want to finish up a few things." Molly answered absently, standing up from the table. Nodding, Arthur kissed her cheek and went up the stairs to bed. She set her own teacup in the sink, deciding that they could wait until the morning to be washed, and entered the living room. The Christmas tree wasn't yet in place, but a place had been cleared away for it and some of the other decorations had already been put up, due to much whining from Ron and Ginny.   
  
Following an impulse, Molly turned and walked up the stairs, past all the bedrooms until she reached the attic door. The ghoul was quiet tonight; it had howled all day since the children arrived, but all the excitement must have tired it into silence. Using her wand for a light, she crossed over to the large box of Christmas ornaments and carefully lifted the dusty lid. Each of the Weasley children received an ornament every Christmas, even when times were hard, and all the ornaments were gathered into this one box. Smiling softly, Molly picked up the first ornament her hand came to; the one from Bill's first Christmas.  
  
Tears sprang to her eyes as she realized that this would be the last Christmas her oldest son would get an ornament. She and Arthur had decided to give each of their offspring an ornament until they graduated Hogwarts and went out on their own, and Bill.....  
  
_'You knew this day would come_.' A voice inside her reminded. Yes, she had known. Even when her firstborn was still just a babe in her arms, she knew that one day she would have to let him go. She knew he would grow up, as all children do, and drift away from his mother's embrace. Back then, seventeen years had seemed like plenty of time, but the years had sped by faster than she'd ever imagined they could. It didn't seem real that the little boy she had borne was already a man, and her heart ached at the thought of losing him. In a few short months, he would be more or less on his own.  
  
Her eyes traveled over the other ornaments, everything from the miniature book that belonged to Percy to the Ginny's snowy, glittery angel from last Christmas. Molly sighed quietly, carefully putting Bill's ornament back into the box and replacing the lid. It was times like these that she wondered why on Earth they had seven children; was it going to be this hard each time she had to let one go? Or two, in the case of the twins. She knew she should be thankful that all her children were healthy and able to go out and have their own lives, but....  
  
Firmly setting all thoughts of remorse and regret aside, Molly stood up and left the attic, refusing to let herself look back at the box of ornaments sitting so innocently on the floor.   
  
  



	3. Summer and Muggle novels

A/N: Yup, it's the third in this little series. Just a word of warning; these will not go in order of the children's ages, but they will go in order chronologically. This one's Percy's, and it doesn't focus quite so much on what Molly has sacrificed or gone through as the other two have, but...it still sort of fits me theme. Charlie is probably going to be next, but no promises on that. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own the Weasleys, although I have been told that I practically AM Molly Weasley and that I should be getting paid royalties. I also have no claim to any of T.H. White's books, except my own worn paperback copies.

--------

Molly worried about Percy. Ever since he was just a small child, he never seemed to fit in with the rest of her children. Bill and Charlie were the older boys, and they were best friends. Fred and George had one another, of course, in all their trouble-making and pranks. As the youngest, Ron and Ginny had a certain bond, as well, although Ron would occasionally gang up on Ginny with the other boys. But Percy had no one. Molly was proud of his accomplishments, of course, proud of what a good child he had always been. Still, she worried.

Now, he sat alone in the living room with his nose in a book while the other children were outside enjoying the first few days of summer vacation. Even Bill, who was going to start work at Gringotts in a few days and had plenty of things to finish up before then, was outside soaking up the sunshine. Molly would glance in on Percy once in a while as she washed dishes, trying to think of something to talk to him about. She didn't understand him, never had. It wasn't his intelligence that confused her; all her children were bright, and she and Arthur had both been Prefects at Hogwarts. It was his quite nature that she couldn't grasp, and it was because of this she found it so hard to communicate with him. No one else in the family was so withdrawn and quiet.

Molly mulled over the mystery that was Percy in her head as she stood in the doorway of the living room, drying her hands on a dish towel. Then, quite suddenly, she decided to speak. "What are you reading, Percy?"

The question caused the bespectacled boy to jump, startled, and for a moment Molly was sorry she disturbed him. But he answered, a bit shyly,

"The Sword in the Stone."

Molly was a little surprised; the book was historical fiction in their world, but she knew the author was a Muggle and that many wizards considered the literature to be inferior, no matter how much of it was based on truth. A smile crept onto her face as she moved to sit beside her son on the couch.

"That's your father's copy, I'd wager. Was it on the shelf?" she asked, almost knowingly. Percy returned the smile and nodded a little. "He used to read books like that constantly...said he loved to see how our stories got retold in the Muggle world. Mr. White has a knack for getting things pretty close to the truth, actually...some people claim his grandmum was a witch and told him our histories."

"I didn't know Dad liked to read," Percy said when she finished speaking, still pondering over her first statement. Molly smiled and sighed a little.

"I don't suppose you children really remember him reading anything other than bedtime stories and the Daily Prophet," she replied. "Your father loves to read, Percy...he and I both do, really. There just isn't time for things like that anymore." Silence fell between them as each one pondered how much life had changed for the Weasley parents over the years. Molly thought back to when she and Arthur were young together, with no worries in the world besides exams and how to sneak out of Gryffindor tower without being caught, while Percy tried to fathom his parents ever being young at all. Finally, it was Percy who spoke, trying to lighten the mood.

"Did you like T.H. White, too? he asked. Molly chuckled.

"Yes, actually. Arthur got me started reading his books...all the ones about Merlyn, of course, but my favorite was a book about the Lilliputians. Mistress Masham's Repose." She paused, then asked, "Would you like to read it?"

Percy grinned at her and nodded, and her heart melted at the sight. It was so rare that a true grin graced his solemn features...she felt as though she had just done something really right. Even though she was the mother of seven children, there was always something new to learn about each of them and about parenting in general; they taught her more than she felt she could ever teach them, and at the moment, she had broken through to this imaginative side of Percy she hadn't even been sure still existed. She grinned back and stood up from the couch, heading over to the bookshelf in the living room corner. Most of the books were worn and some were slightly tattered, but all were well-loved.

"This was the first gift your father ever gave to me," she said fondly, pulling the book out of his place and running her fingers over the paperback cover. She paused before handing the novel to Percy, studying the red-haired boy who was already taller than she was. "I never knew you liked books like these," she commented.

"Well, only when I have time," Percy replied hurriedly as he took the book. "When I'm through with my studies, of course."

"Of course," Molly replied seriously, then smiled. Percy hesitated, looking over the book in his hand, then held it back out to his mother.

"May I borrow it later, Mum? I want to finish reading this one before I start something new," he added, holding up The Sword in the Stone with his index finger marking his page. Molly nodded.

"Of course, dear. And why don't you go outside to read? It's a lovely day," she added. Percy nodded in agreement, and with another grin in her direction, he disappeared out the front door.

Molly smiled to herself as she went back into the kitchen and began putting the dishes away. She sometimes did things like this by hand; cleaning charms were useful, but she liked doing some housework herself. It helped her get her thoughts together. At the moment, her thoughts were still on Percy; she was so thrilled that she had discovered this new side of him. He was more like his father than even he realized; a little ironic, since most people seemed to think Percy took after her. But no, he had the shy side of him that was completely Arthur, as well as Arthur's patience and mild manners (until the twins started picking on him).

She nearly dropped the saucer she was holding when Arthur's arms encircled her waist from behind. "Arthur Weasley!" she gasped, startled. "Don't sneak up on me like that! You've scared the daylights out of me!" He chuckled as she turned in his arms to face him. "What are you doing home so soon?" Arthur was still working the day-shift; in the summer, he usually tried to work nights so that he would have the days to spend with his children while they were home from Hogwarts, but the new schedule hadn't taken affect yet.

"Things were slow at the office, so I clocked out early," he replied, leaning down to give her a quick kiss. "It's such a lovely day, I thought it'd be nice to have a picnic with one of my favorite redheaded girls."

"Well, I'm sorry, but Ginny's already had her lunch, and I won't have you spoiling her supper," Molly replied airily, detaching herself from his embrace. Arthur laughed and caught her around her middle again.

"I meant you, Mrs. Weasley, and you know it," he said, holding her with one arm while bringing the other hand up to tap her lightly on the nose with one finger. "So, how about it? In the mood for a picnic with your old working stiff of a husband?"

"Oh, you," she chuckled, standing up on her tiptoes a little to kiss him lightly. She had a thoughtful look on her face when she pulled away, and he tickled her ribs lightly, causing her to squirm.

"I know that look. What are you up to?" he asked. She studied him for a moment with smiling eyes before answering.

"You know, Arthur, there's something I'd like better than a picnic," she began, and he grinned a little devilishly.

"Molly! In the middle of the day?" he exclaimed, pretending to be shocked. Molly thwapped him on the shoulder.

"Not that, you silly man!"

"What, then? Please don't tell me you want me to degnome the garden for you, Molly, because if you do I'm sure I can find more work at the office--" he started teasingly, but she interrupted him.

"Arthur, if you don't be quiet for a minute I'll never get to tell you in in the first place!" she exclaimed, and he hushed. She paused a moment, then smiled at him with a light in her eyes that he had put there, many years ago. "Will you read to me, Arthur? I can't remember the last time you and I sat down together with a real book."

His manner immediately went from teasing to tender, and a gentle grin painted his features. "Molly-girl, I think that's the best idea I've heard in a long time," he replied honestly. "Did you have a particular book you wanted?"

"Mistress Masham's Repose," she replied without hesitating, taking him by the hand and leading him to the living room bookshelf. His grin widened a little, and he kissed the top of her head as she picked up the book. Hand in hand, they walked outside to sit together against the trunk of a willow tree near the pond, and Molly snuggled up to Arthur, helping him turn the pages since the arm that wasn't holding the book was wrapped around her shoulders. And, just for a little while, they weren't worried about the children or money or responsibilities. They weren't Dad and Mum or Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. They were simply Arthur and Molly, and all that existed in their world was one another, the willow tree, and the pages of a well-worn Muggle paperback book.


End file.
